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advantage, the pair paid a quiet social call on a well-to-do farmer 

 of Mordu, enjoyed a glass of wine with their trembling host, and 

 then (having some fifteen minutes in hand) rode forward. Now 

 comes a point. On arrival of the pursuers, that farmer (though 

 not a word had been said) denied all knowledge of his new-gone 

 guests. Pursuit was abandoned. 



For eight days the bandits lay low. Then Pernales presented 

 himself at a ftirm in Ecija with a demand for £40, or in default 

 the destruction of the live-stock. The bailiff (no farmer lives on 

 his farm) despatched a messenger on his fleetest horse to bring 

 in the ransom. As by the stipulated hour he had not returned, 

 Pernales shot eight valuable mules ! Kiding thence to La 

 Coronela, a farm belonging to Antonio Fuentes, the bull-fighter, 

 a similar message was despatched. Pending its reply our outlaws 

 feasted on the best ; but instead of bank-notes, a force of Civil 

 Guards appeared on the scene. That made no difference. The 

 terrified farm-hands swore that the bandits had ridden off in a 

 given direction, and while the misled police hurried away on a 

 wild-goose chase, our heroes finished their feast, and late at 

 night (having loaded up everything portable of value) departed 

 for their lair in the sierra. 



During the next two months (May and June 1907) only 

 minor outrages and robberies were committed, but that quiescence 

 was enlivened by two feats that set out in relief the coolness and 

 unflinching courage of these desperados. In May they moved to 

 the neighbourhood of Cordoba, and among other raids pulled off a 

 good haul in bank-notes, cash, and other valuables at Lucena, an 

 estate of D. Antonio Moscoso, following this up by a report in 

 their "Inspired Press" that the brigands had at last fled north- 

 wards with the view of embarking for abroad at Santander ! A 

 few days later, however (May 31), they had the effrontery to 

 appear in Cordoba itself at the opening of the Fair, but, being 

 early recognised, promptly rode off into the impending Sierra 

 Morena. On their heels followed the Civil Guard. Finding 

 themselves overtaken, our friends faced round and opened fire, but 

 the result was a defeat of the bandit gang. One, " El Nino de la 

 Gloria," fell dead pierced by three bullets ; two other scoundrels — 

 Reverte and Pepino — were captured wounded, while in the meUe 

 the robbers abandoned four horses, a rifle, and a quantity of 

 jewelry — the product of recent raids. Pernales himself and the 



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